Genesis 9

V. 1-4

So, God gave Noah the same instructions as Adam

Be fruitful and multiply

They started over basically

Now, they can eat meat!

Well, we don’t know if Adam and Eve ate meat..

Perhaps it is because the earth was less productive agriculturally?

God put the fear of man in animals...

For their protection, God put in them a fear of mankind.

Again, presumably before the flood, man had a different relationship with the animals. God did not put this fear in animals because man did not look to them as food. -Guzik

But, you shall eat the animal with proper respect for the blood.

Blood represents life.

Had to have respect for the life of the animal.

, ;

Blood is used 424 times in the Bible.

Blood is respected because it is the life of a being… When blood is poured out, life is being poured out.

- Blood was the sign of mercy for Israel at the first Passover ().

· Blood sealed God’s covenant with Israel ().

· Blood sanctified the altar ().

· Blood set aside the priests ().

· Blood made atonement for God’s people ().

· Blood sealed the new covenant ().

· Blood justifies us ().

· Blood brings redemption ().

· Blood brings peace with God ().

· Blood cleanses us ( and ).

· Blood gives entrance to God’s holy place ().

· Blood sanctifies us ().

· Blood enables us to overcome Satan ().

V. 5-7

I will demand a reckoning...

According to God’s command, when a man’s blood is shed there must be an accounting for it because in the image of God He made man. Because man is made in the image of God, his life is inherently precious and cannot be taken without giving account to God.

i. By man his blood shall be shed means because life is valuable; when murder is committed the death penalty is in order.

By man his blood shall be shed means because life is valuable; when murder is committed the death penalty is in order.

In its original languages, the Bible makes a distinction between killing and murder. Not all killing is murder because there are cases where there is just cause for killing (self-defense, capital punishment with due process of law, killing in a just war). There are other instances where killing is accidental. This is killing, but not murder.

The Bible also consistently teaches that the punishment of the guilty is the role of human government () to restrain man’s depravity. It also teaches that the guilt of unpunished murder defiles a land (). As Luther said, “God establishes government and gives it the sword to hold wantonness in check, lest violence and other sins proceed without limit” (cited in Boice).

iii. The Bible also consistently teaches that the punishment of the guilty is the role of human government () to restrain man’s depravity. It also teaches that the guilt of unpunished murder defiles a land (). As Luther said, “God establishes government and gives it the sword to hold wantonness in check, lest violence and other sins proceed without limit” (cited in Boice).

V.8-11

This is God’s covenant with Noah and us today, even with the animals…

He promised that He would never destroy the earth with a flood again.

“It cheered my heart, when thinking this matter over, to remember that although I depend upon covenant faithfulness, I am not alone in that dependence, for every living thing upon the face of the earth lives by virtue of the immutable covenant of God. Covenant engagements preserve the world from flood; were it not for that covenant, the tops of the mountains might be covered to-morrow.” (Spurgeon).

i. “It cheered my heart, when thinking this matter over, to remember that although I depend upon covenant faithfulness, I am not alone in that dependence, for every living thing upon the face of the earth lives by virtue of the immutable covenant of God. Covenant engagements preserve the world from flood; were it not for that covenant, the tops of the mountains might be covered to-morrow.” (Spurgeon)

God did not believe He did something wrong or too harsh in the flood. He made the promise because He did things in the post-flood world to guarantee that the exact evil conditions of the pre-flood world would never be precisely duplicated. These things included the imprisonment of the angels who sinned with human women () and shortening the lifespan of man.

When things get similar to the days of Noah, God is going to destroy the world by fire (, ).

V.12-17

God gave the rainbow as a sign of the covenant… So now it is a reminder of his promise.

V.18-19

From the 3 sons, earth was populated.

V. 20-23

Genesis 9

God’s Covenant and Instructions